Prepayment-meter.



PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

HI. & c. GAMWBLL. PREPAYMENT METER. APPLICATION nnsn MAE. 1, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

rnz NORRIS PETERS co., wnsnmcron', 1:, 2.

PATENTED DEG. s,- 1907. i & c. GAMWELL. PRBPAYMBNT METER. APPLICATION FILED MAB. T, 1904'.

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H NORRIS PEYERs ca, wasnnvar N. x. Q

7 King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 15 Fraser street, Liverpool, England, havev invented a new and useful Improvement in- To. all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that HARRY GAMWELL and HARRY GAMWELL AND CHARLES GAMWELL, or LlVERPOOLjEN GLAND.

PRE PAYME NT-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-' Application filed March 7 1904;. serial lilo- 196.936

OHAnLEs GAMWELL, both subjects of the Prepayment Gas-Meters, of which the folloWing-isa specification. I

This invention relates to a pre-payment gas meter for domestic use, and consists of certain improvements in the mechanism wherebythe gas inlet valve is opened by a coin which is manipulated by the purchaser and whereby such valve is, closed by the measuring mechanism of the meter.

The characteristic feature of the invention is that the coinheld between the fin- 1 ger'and thumb of the purchaser'forms the implement by which such valve is opened, that is the purchaser holds the coin and uses itas the'imp'lement by which to open the We are aware that a coin has heretofore been employed to form an operativeconnecof a dry gas-meter fitted with coin-freed or operated mechanism according to thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation of such mechanism, Figs. 3 and 4 (the latter partly in section) being front and rear views, respectively, of the coin-receiving device or holder. Fig. 5 is a plan of the coin-holder and its spindle. Fig. 6 is a plan of the bracket in which the coin-holder spindle is journaled Fig. '7 is a front view of the plate journaling the end of the coin-holder spindle. p I

In the gas meter according to this inven tion illustrated in the annexed drawing the valve above referred to comprises a cylindrical case 1 communicating with the gas- .inlet 2 andwith the pipe 3 leading into the meter 4, respectively, the valve proper 5 having a seatlng in such casing and controlling such communication. The valve 5 is capable of an axial travel in the casing 1. I

The opening of such a valve, namely its withdraw alfrom its seat, or other equivalent movement, is directly performed by hand with the aid of a coin, the latter serving as the opening or actuating implement, and the degree or distance towhichthe valve is opened or removed from its seat coincides with the number of coins used-separatelyin thus opening the valve, 'aswill now be described. j 1

The valve spindle 6 is connected to a sleeve 7, the latter having an internal thread and an external pinion-wheel 8. A secondary spindle 9in alinement with the spindle 6bears an external thread which screws into the internally threaded sleeve 7. The outer end of said secondary spindleit) terminates in a coin-receiving device of novel form. Such device comprises. a rotary halfball or semi-sphericalcoin-holder 10 corre sponding in diameter with the coin to be inserted. The coin-holder 10 is attached to the. end ofthe secondary spindle 9," and forms a rotary holder for the reception of the ignated by the dotted line 14 in Figs. 2' and '5) inserted in one ofsuch slots 11 projects sufficiently to be held and twisted in the [Patented Dec. 3, 1907. I

finger and thumb. The coin-holder 10' end of the spindle 9 is revolubly socketed in a guard-p ate 15 possessing an aperture corresponding with the concavity 5 13 in the coin-holder 10. Two notches 12 in the plate 15 register with the slot 11 which is for the time being horizontal, and permit the inscr tion of a coin 1 1 into theholder 10, that is to say, the aperture in the guard-plate 15 is of less diameter than the coin, and the notches 12 allow the insertion of a coin into the horizontal slot 11. The edge of the coin displaces from engagement with such hori-v zontal slot 11 four spring-detents, namely a pair of detents 16 socketed on the plate 15,

and a pair of detents 17 socketed in the bracket 18, which detents normally look the holder 10, so that the holder 10 and spindle 9 may thenbe turned one quarter-revolution.

On completion of such quarter-revolution the said detents 16, 17, then engage the second and now horizontal slot 111115116 holder 10 and prevent its further rotation. The coinl4 cannot then be withdrawn from the holder 10: as it has moved .away from the notches 12 in the guard-plate 15 must therefore be relinquished and allowed to drop through the opening 19 into the coinbox 20. The coin 14 is thus used as a key by which to turn the slotted ball-ended spindle 9 worming into the sleeve-ended valve-spindle 6. The pinion-wheel or teeth 8 on said sleeve 7 mesh with the teeth of a crown-wheel 21, the teeth on the sleeve 7 being sufficiently broad to remain in gear with the crown wheel 21 irrespective of the axial. motion of the sleeve 7 and valvespindle 6. A second crown wheel 22- which forms the change-wheelis laid on the crown-wheel 21, engaging a pin 31 on the latter, and gears with a broad toothed pinion 23 which is rotated by the spindle 24, wheel 25 and worm 26, the latter being rotated through gear wheels by the registering spindle 27 of the meter. Hence the sleeve 7 is held by the crown-wheel-21 while the spindle 9 is turned by the coin 14, and consequently the sleeve 7 and valve-spindle 6 are drawn axially and thus the valve 5 is opened. The valve may be thus drawn outwardly in several stages by the use ofsuccessive coins, a limit to such opening movement being provided by a stop 28 on the sleeve-pinion 8 engaging another stop 29 on the spindle 9, without j amrning.

A non-return pawl 30, taking into the slots 11 in the coin-holder 10 prevents the latter from being turned in the wrong direction.

The valve 5 having been opened in the manner above set forth, the closing action is performed by the registering train of the meter, which rotates the change-wheel 22 andconsequently the crown-wheel 21 gearing with the pinion-teeth S on the internally threaded end or sleeve 7 of the valve-spindle 6, which re-acting on the threaded end of the now stationary secondary spindle 9, gradually moves axially and so the valve 5 is closed.

The bracket 18 possesses slots 32 permitting a coin to drop out of the holder 10, and also a table .33 with a central pin, on which the crown-wheels 21, 22 rotate.

By the employment of a crown-wheel such as 21 constantly in gear with the pinion teeth 8 of the sleeve 7, and by mounting upon the flat surface of such crown-wheel a changewheel such as 22, which is also a crownwheel, it is possible, by making such changewheels of an unvarying thickness (although of varying diameter) to change such changewheels without exercising the care now requisite in order that the change-wheel and its pinion should mesh accurately, that is to say there is no setting-up" required, one change-wheel 22'dropping into the place of the one removed; 2

The valve-spindle 6 and the spindle 24.

' shown.

Having now described our invention, what we claim to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a prepayment gas meter, a revoluble spindle formed with slots to receive a .coin as the implement by which such coin receiver is turned, a plate journaling the end of said coin receiver and having an aperture of less diameter than the coin, said aperture having notches in its edge permitting the entryof such coin into the slot in the coin receiver registering therewith, said plate operating to prevent Withdrawal of the coin after the coin receiver has been turned, spring detents located on said plate and engaging the slot so registering with such notches and arranged to be displaced therefrom by the coin, and a connection between said coin receiver and the valve controlling the passage of gas through the meter, whereby the rotation of said coin receiver operates to open said valve.

2. In a prepayment gas meter, a revoluble spindle having a concave globular end possessing slots adapted to receive a coin as the implement by which it is turned, a plate journaling the end of said coin receiver and having an aperture of less diameter than the coin, said aperture having notches in its edge for entirely uncovering said slots, a non-return pawl engaging such slots, and a connection between said coin receiver and the valve controlling the passage of gas through the meter, whereby the rotation of said coin receiveroperates to open said valve.

HARRY GAMW ELL. CHARLES GAWWELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. COUBROUGH, D. M. TnoMsoN. 

